My plan was to go next door and see if I could fish out some plans for this bachelorette party tonight and maybe follow Valerie. It wasn’t like I was going to stalk her or anything, just check and make sure they all got home okay, just in case.
One look at that fucking dress, and all plans of keeping my distance went right out the fucking door. It was all I could do to keep from shaking as I got in my car and drove straight home to change. I have a strong suspicion on where they’re going since there’s only one place in town nice enough to celebrate anything special, and it’s too late in the evening to drive to the next town over. Not to mention getting a ride back if they’ve been drinking.
Gritting my teeth so hard they ache, I pull up to my house, and I’m surprised to see Donovan on my porch.
“No time to talk, I need to be somewhere,” I say as I pass him and go into my house.
“The mail carrier was different today,” he grumbles, and I hear him come in behind me as I go straight to my bedroom.
“So what? Did they deliver what you ordered or not?” Quickly pulling off my suit, I grab a pair of faded, well-worn jeans and a dark gray long-sleeve Henley. Donovan's standing in my bedroom doorway watching me get ready. “What?” I bark as I grab my boots.
“I don’t like when the mail carrier is different.” He looks down at me as if seeing me for the first time. “Where are you going?”
“Pretty in Pink,” I say as I tug one boot on and lace it up.
“Why?”
“Donovan, I don’t have time to play twenty questions.” Just as I say it, a thought occurs to me. “Wait, I need you to come with me.”
“No,” he says firmly.
“I don’t know if she’s driving tonight, and if she is, I’ll need to drive her car. I don’t want mine parked at the bar overnight. Come with me and drive it home.”
“I have no idea what any of that means. But what if this she didn’t drive and you need to give this person a ride home? Your car only holds two.”
“Then you can take a car service home.”
“No.” This time his answer has anger on the end of it. “You know I don’t like people seeing me.”
It’s then I look up at my brother and take in the scar down one side of his face and over his jaw. It’s been two years since his accident, but to him, it might as well have been last week. His scar is still pink and healing, but I don’t think it’s as bad as he’s built it up in his head. Even now he’s wearing dark jeans and a dark hoodie, and he’s let his hair grow long to cover it as much as he can. He even grew a beard to try and cover it, but it’s too pronounced to hide.
He looks like he’s trying to blend into the shadows as much as possible, and I hate seeing him like this. He wasn’t always this way. He used to be the life of the party, and I was the asshole. Now he’s giving me a run for my money on being the brooding alpha.
“Okay, then I’ll get a car service home. Just drive me to the bar, will you?” He presses his lips together and looks out the window. “Please,” I say, and after a second he lets out a long breath.
“All right.”
Grabbing my keys, we exit my house and get into the car. I would let him drive, but I’m worried he won’t drive fast enough, and I’ve got to get to this bar before Valerie does.
It doesn’t take long before I see Pretty in Pink up ahead, and I begin scanning the parking lot for her car. When I see the empty white sedan parked right up front, I growl. I’m too late, and she’s already gone inside.
“Give me five minutes,'' I say. “I want to make sure she doesn’t try and run.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Donovan asks me, and I roll my eyes.
“Obviously not,” I answer before I get out of the car and head inside the bar.
The place has been updated since the last time I was in here for drinks with one of my clients. He was going through a messy divorce, and I worried about him drinking alone. Before it was kind of run-down and nothing special, but now the place is packed and looks like it’s been totally updated. The space is modern and sexy, and I’m even angrier Valerie is in here half naked.
“But we just got here,” I hear someone close to the bar say and then something that sounds like a foot stomp.
Moving through the crowd, I keep looking until I spot one of Valerie’s friends at the bar with a guy holding her against him. “Fuck.”
When I get closer, I see she’s wearing a white veil covered in neon dicks and she must have been the one stomping her foot. There’s a man holding her, shaking his head.
“It’s not happening, Julie. Say goodnight to your friends.”
For a second, I think about stopping him from grabbing her, but I see her try to hide a smile. “It’s my bachelorette night. You can’t make me go home early.”
“I can and I will. You’re not single, so it’s not your last night of freedom. Sorry, babe, but you’ve been my bride since the first time you smiled at me. You’re not celebrating anything but being my wife, and you’re sure as fuck not doing it at a bar half dressed.”
“This is a full dress, thank you very much!” She wiggles in his arms, but she’s not actually trying to get away from him. “Look at Val! She’s the one practically naked.”
She points over her shoulder, and it’s then I see Valerie at the bar, surrounded by men staring at her. “Over my dead body,” I say as I leave the couple to work out what they’re doing tonight.
I have to push my way through, but I’m like a bull in a china shop, and I don’t give a fuck what’s in my way. I go right up to Valerie and use my big chest to push her against the railing of the bar. Her look of shock only grows as I place my hands on either side of the bar, imprisoning her with my body.
“Excuse me?” the guy behind me says, and Valerie's eyes flicker over to him.
“Tell him goodbye, Val,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Umm…” She hesitates, and I see red.
“Dude, what’s your problem?” the guy behind me says, and I slowly close my eyes, trying to find inner peace.
“Val,” I say sternly as my eyes open and lock on hers.
“Goodbye, Chad, nice talking to you,” she says to the guy without looking up at him.
“No it wasn’t,” I interrupt, and she narrows her eyes on me.
“Whatever,” the guy named Chad says, and I hear him mumbling something about drama behind me as he leaves.
“Is this what you wanted?”
She raises her chin stubbornly. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You knew exactly what I’d do when I saw you dressed like that.” I lean in so close my entire body presses against hers.
“You just walked out of the shop.” She shrugs and tries to look away, but I grab her chin and make her look at me.
“Because all I wanted to do was take you to the ground and fuck you right there on the floor of that bridal shop. Is that what you wanted me to do?” My eyes move to her mouth, and I lick my lips, remembering how good they taste. “What about right here? You want me to push this dress up and fuck you against the bar so that every goddamn man in this town knows who you belong to?”
She swallows hard but doesn’t answer me.
“Say goodbye to your friends. We’re leaving.” I take her by the arm and tug her behind me as I push through the crowd.
“Wait, I can’t leave, I’m their ride.”
When I get to the door, I stop and look back. Just then I see the bride being thrown over her fiancé’s shoulder and carried out beside us.
“Bye, Valerie!” she calls and then giggles when her man smacks her ass.
That’s what I should have done with Val.
“Are you leaving too?” her friend Gracie asks as she comes over to watch Julie being carried out.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Both Val and I answer at the same time, and I turn my glare on her. “Yes, she’s leaving. My brother can take you home when you’re ready to go. He’s parked out front in my car.” I hold out my hand to Val. “Give me your keys.”
She rolls her eyes but eventually hands them over. She says her goodbyes to Gracie and I nod to her as I pull Valerie in my arms and we exit the bar. Out front, Donovan is still sitting in my car, but he’s moved to the driver's seat. I know he’s going to be so fucking pissed he has to take Gracie home, but I don’t care. He can do me this favor after years of me looking out for him.
“Valerie’s friend Gracie needs a ride home. You’re going to take her.” He opens his mouth to protest, but then I see him glance behind me and snap his jaw closed tight. He surprises me by nodding and then pulling his hood up.
Without another word, I pull Val over to her car and open the passenger door.
“This is the worst night ever.” She rolls her eyes as she gets in.
Leaning in, I buckle her seatbelt for her and then lower my mouth to hers. The kiss is searing hot, and I grab her face with both hands, wanting to drink her into me. Fuck, this woman makes me crazy, and right now I’m a full-on lunatic seeing her dressed like this.
When I finally pull away, she’s out of breath, and her lips are red and swollen. “You’re coming home with me tonight, and you’ll regret those words.” Her lips part, but I shake my head. “You brought this on yourself.”